[Flyinfarmer]

I have searched around, and I cannot find a recent direct comparison between Path Pilot and Mach 4

They have both been out for a while now.

Is there anyone who has experience using both? Any thoughts?

[Steve Seebold]

I’m still running Mach III and I love it.

[SCzEngrgGroup]

At this point, you will have a VERY hard time finding anyone who's even tried Mach4 recentl;y. It was basically dead on the vine years ago, due to bugs, and poor third-party support, especially for all-important motion controllers. Given that choice, I don't know anyone who would not STRONGLY recommend PP over Mach4.

Regards,
Ray L.

[popspipes]

Pathpilot here since inception, no unprogrammed moves ever! Mach 3 had a mind of its own at times for me, a few folks use it without problems.

Pathpilot is free with the Tormach machines.

[rdsi]

The best thing about PP is it does not use WINDOWS. Linux is much more suited to machine control.
Support for Windows 7 is dwindling and Windows 10 is an invasion of privacy plus a bunch of other not so nice things.
As mentioned, PP and its underlying operating system, Linux, are more or less FREE!

[Steve Seebold]

I got a posted program today that was done for a Path Pilot controls and all I can say is it’s about the biggest bunch of crap I have ever seen.

I don’t like using the tool library and the program I saw has a feed rate in every single G1 line.

So far, I am not even just a little bit impressed with Path Pilot.

[RA-Bowtie]

I got a posted program today that was done for a Path Pilot controls and all I can say is it’s about the biggest bunch of crap I have ever seen.

I don’t like using the tool library and the program I saw has a feed rate in every single G1 line.

So far, I am not even just a little bit impressed with Path Pilot.

G'day mate,

Hey! .... don't shoot the messenger, I'm innocent

Michael

[javanree]

I got a posted program today that was done for a Path Pilot controls and all I can say is it’s about the biggest bunch of crap I have ever seen.
I don’t like using the tool library and the program I saw has a feed rate in every single G1 line.
So far, I am not even just a little bit impressed with Path Pilot.

That's not the fault of Path Pilot, it's the fault of a crappy CAM post processor ; Path Pilot does not require a feedrate value in every line.

[RA-Bowtie]

I got a posted program today that was done for a Path Pilot controls and all I can say is it’s about the biggest bunch of crap I have ever seen.

I don’t like using the tool library and the program I saw has a feed rate in every single G1 line.

So far, I am not even just a little bit impressed with Path Pilot.

Hey Steve,

I did mention to you that I'm using Fusion 360 and the Post Processor that Tormach supplied.

So, I'm not actually sure who the culprit is

Michael

[CL_MotoTech]

I tried out Mach 4 for about a week. I gave up after it turned the spindle on with my touch probe mounted. Never once, not in three years, have I had that happen with Mach 3. It seemed like it might have been an improvement up until that point.

I'm on Windows 7, and I like keeping my controller Windows based so I can CAD/CAM on it as well. I do however agree that Linux and Unix based systems are more stable than Windows NT, but it's not be an issue in my experience. I'm sure the ESS is reason that this is the case.

That said, if you want to stick with Windows you should give UCCNC a look, I'm testing it now and hope to eventually move from Mach 3 to it in total.

[SCzEngrgGroup]

I got a posted program today that was done for a Path Pilot controls and all I can say is it’s about the biggest bunch of crap I have ever seen.

I don’t like using the tool library and the program I saw has a feed rate in every single G1 line.

So far, I am not even just a little bit impressed with Path Pilot.

Yes.... PathPilot is obviously garbage, if it will run some unknown users "biggest bunch of crap" g-code.... I NEVER buy GM products, because I once saw someone drive a Chevy VERY badly. They are obviously just terrible cars...

Have you ever actually TRIED PathPilot? I'm guessing not...

Regards,
Ray L.

[nitewatchman]

For me the same basic code runs on PP that runs on Mach3.I will pull out an old program from Mach3 and run it on PP with very few if any changes.

Biggest things requiring attention are things like lettering or engraving produced by Mach3 Wizards. Easier just to start over.

If Mach3 works best for you stick with it but you would seem to be in a shrinking minority.

Gary

I got a posted program today that was done for a Path Pilot controls and all I can say is it’s about the biggest bunch of crap I have ever seen. I don’t like using the tool library and the program I saw has a feed rate in every single G1 line. So far, I am not even just a little bit impressed with Path Pilot.

[R.DesJardin]

Yes.... PathPilot is obviously garbage, if it will run some unknown users "biggest bunch of crap" g-code.... I NEVER buy GM products, because I once saw someone drive a Chevy VERY badly. They are obviously just terrible cars...

Have you ever actually TRIED PathPilot? I'm guessing not...

Regards,
Ray L.

Yep. Well said. And run the same code I ran with my Mach controller.

[Bob La Londe]

The change log for Mach 4 shows the latest update was 8/14/17. The download file shows a build date of 8/18/17. I wouldn't call it dead, but it hasn't been updated for almost 8 months. Lots of activity everyday on their forums.

I have 5 machines running Mach 3 and now that hardware has caught up with software they aren't bad. All are running Smoothsteppers. 3 of those machines ran all day today, and one of them is still running finishing up a job. Oops. I just looked up at the video monitor to see the head lift away from the part. Looks like its time to call it a day and start shutting down the shop for the night.

[ger21]

Similar to when they were working on Mach3, Warp 9 has been working on their Mach4 ESS plugin for over 3 years now. That's just plain unacceptable.
Mach4, an ESS and a decent breakout board is over $500, and you shouldn't have to wait 5 years for it to work.

[kstrauss]

The change log for Mach 4 shows the latest update was 8/14/17. The download file shows a build date of 8/18/17. I wouldn't call it dead, but it hasn't been updated for almost 8 months. Lots of activity everyday on their forums.

The last time that I seriously looked at Mach4, much of the Yahoo Mach forum activity was user complaints which were often addressed by somewhat arrogant replies from Mach4 chief Brian Barker. I've completely lost interest so perhaps things have changed.

[sansbury]

I run a software company in my day job, and there is no way I would choose a Mach-based solution of any kind today. If I had a machine working on Mach3 that I was happy with, sure, leave it alone. But starting new, I can't see a good reason to bother with Mach 4 over PathPilot or LinuxCNC. If you absolutely demand Windows (for the love of God, why?) then the Centroid Acorn looks like a good option with a more proven support model.

Assuming this is for a Tormach, I would absolutely go with PathPilot. One of the main reasons to buy a Tormach is that there's a real company in the US to call when it doesn't work, that will help you fix it. It will cost a few hundred bucks more (at most?) than rolling your own, but you get the benefit of someone else solving all the weird problems for you before you turn it on.

[shred]

FWIW, I posted some code from Fusion360 using the Tormach post yesterday.

There are not feed rates on every line. Here's a sample

...
S5100 M3 M8
G54
G0 X1.8042 Y-0.9641
G0 Z0.6
G0 Z-0.05
G1 Z-0.1706 F8.
G1 Z-0.2775
G1 X1.8039 Z-0.2803
G1 X1.8029 Z-0.2829
G1 X1.8014 Z-0.2853
G1 X1.7995 Z-0.2873
G1 X1.7971 Y-0.964 Z-0.2888
G1 X1.7944 Z-0.2897
G1 X1.7917 Z-0.29
G1 X1.7792 Y-0.9638 F11.
G3 X1.7665 Y-0.9761 I-0.0002 J-0.0125
G2 X1.7662 Y-0.9818 I-0.0625 J0.0008 F17.
G1 X1.7646 Y-0.9974
G2 X1.7623 Y-1.0086 I-0.0622 J0.0065
....

Fusion's CAM seems to do more small moves than my other CAM for whatever reason, but that's not PP's problem.

[jwatte]

Steve, it sounds like you have a beef with the person who posted the file for you, not with PathPilot.

PathPilot post out of Fusion 360 CAM has feeds only on the first move with that particular feed.

Using a tool table is entirely up to the person doing the CAM work, too. Has nothing to do with the controller.

[RussMachine]

I don’t like using the tool library and the program I saw has a feed rate in every single G1 line

That sounds like a programmer with OCD, or a crappy Post-Processor issue, NOT a PathPilot issue.
And just because an old car still 'works', doesn't mean you shouldn't test drive the new models.